Merry Writing, happy Publishing

Hello Writers

Today is Christmas Eve, and whatever your traditions or faith may or may not be, it is always a wonderful season of good tidings and wishes for a future where kindness and caring bring you peace, and, of course, great writing in the new year!

I enjoy reading about the journey of Canadian authors on the Canada Writes Facebook page. I am always delighted to read of first novels completed, signed off, getting published and soon going forward into the world. I also enjoy your successes in publishing short and flash fiction. Write on and keep sharing!

Yesterday, I signed off on my first book, not a novel; it is part family stories, part memoir, and I am excited but also feeling worried. The truth is that although I promote my book as being for my children, grandchildren, and as yet unborn grandchildren, I must admit that I also want others to read it and enjoy it. I guess time will tell, but I think this will not happen. My first editor said that it is also a social history, and she thought many people might enjoy it. A nice and comforting thought, but I don’t believe it. So, now that it is being printed, I feel both excited and worried.

And, you know about worry. Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow. It robs the joy from today.

Time to give myself a shake, and put the joy back into that final sign off; joy that comes to me with silent tears and a calm heart.

What’s next?

Back to writing short fiction stories, my cozy mystery novel, and articles and stories for the newspaper: Writing on the Senior Side.

Earlier this month, I wrote a short story called A New Beginning. It will be published next week.. I also recorded it for the Story Circle on Canoe FM. After it airs on Canoe, I will post it on my website. I never expected to enjoy writing short stories. I wanted to see myself as a writer of novels, but the impact of a dramatic short story grabbed me. When I feel tired or a little bogged down with the mystery novel. I sit down and write a short story just for fun. It’s a happy writing place.

The writing short story fiction online course at the University of Toronto, Continuing Studies, was excellent, and when I combined this learning with the other courses, such as writing in scenes from the memoir course, I found a new niche in writing short stories. The words flow, and the story unfolds with ease. So much fun.

A New Beginning took about half an hour to write. It is 1019 words. Then, I set it aside for a few days and revisited it to make changes, edit, etc. I am sharing it here and hope you like it.

A New Beginning

M. Gail Stelter

         Winter feelings matched the dark. They tilted Kelly’s world away from light and took her instead to mournful thoughts of the long months ahead. Anxiety was knocking at her snow-covered door. She was being tested. Could she shovel it away?

         Then relief. Volunteers from Fuel for Warmth arrived with a load of firewood. Kelly's heart and house warmed with gratitude for her hometown community. The wood stove inside her one-level frame house worked endlessly. It evoked cozy feelings and memories of those long-ago winters, when it was different, when he was here with her and their babies. She stared at flames, so perfect and so powerful. They would force the gift of heat to the rooftop and the surrounding forests and hills. Kelly imagined them telling the thin layer of frozen snow on the roof to melt. She prayed for no roof cave-ins this winter. 

         Day was done, and her sweet babies, four-year-old twins, Michael and Maggie, were finally warm and sleeping peacefully. Time for bed. The warmth of the fire struggled to reach Kelly in the back bedroom. She pulled the blankets up to her neck, and as she drifted back to another time.

         Why had Evan gone? What happened to their hopes and dreams?

         “Kelly, I love you and the babies, but I can’t cope with it all. I am dying here in the wildness. I need the city. I need to leave. I am so sorry.”

         “You don’t leave your wife and children if you love them. You are a selfish coward. You are breaking my heart….I love you. Get out.”

         “Sorry. I have to go. I will try to send you some money.”

         That was it. He closed the door behind him and left. The twins were a year old. For the longest time, she thought he would come back. He didn’t. He didn’t send money. Kelly had to figure it all out on her own. She went to see her banker about a loan. She was shocked to find out Evan had withdrawn all their savings, and she heard a rumour: he had another woman.

         The trials of being a single mom were muted against the love and joy of her children, the knowledge that her parents' love and support were forever and the caring and comfort of a few cherished friends. Kelly got a job at a local restaurant, and her parents stepped in to take care of the twins while she worked.  It wasn’t easy, but Kelly was determined. Her love for Evan died a speedy death as she fought for survival. Now, three years later, Kelly was satisfied with her life. And yet, soul searching revealed a yearning for something more. As she fell asleep, she whispered her hope that the new year would bring more. She did not want to admit what “more” would be, but she did know it would be her new beginning.

         Morning sunshine burst through her bedroom window, and her wandering mind switched to the promise of a good day ahead. She gazed out of her window and smiled. The hills bore a white blanket, glistening in the sunshine. The pine and spruce trees hosted puffy pillows, disguising the green branches below.

         “Look, Maggie. Look, Mikey. It snowed last night. After breakfast, we will get our snowsuits on and go outside to play. We can build Frosty at the Snowman!”

         The twins ran to the window. Mikey shouted, “We need a carrot. Mommy, do we have any carrots?”

         “We need buttons”, added Maggie.

         “Okey, dokey”, said Kelly. I will get the things we need. Eat up and get ready to sing Frosty the

Snowman. I’ll call grandpa and grandma and see if they can come and help. Maybe grandma has a carrot.”

         Soon they were all singing and laughing. Grandma brought carrots, and somehow, Grandpa found eyes made out of coal. After a happy time, they were starting to get cold, and Kelly decided to head inside to put another log on the fire, ready for hot chocolate and the few Christmas cookies still in the tin.

         She heard the approaching truck and turned around. A truck full of firewood pulled into her driveway.

         “Hi Kelly, Hello Mr. and Mrs. Tierney. Kelly, I brought you another load of wood. Where do you want me to unload it?”

         “Hi Mark, I got some yesterday. I think you have the wrong name on your delivery list.”

         Mark and Kelly had been friends for years. They “hung out together” in their senior year of high school. Since Even left, Mark was often discovered watching over her and the twins and had become her closest go-to. The twins loved him, and Kelly appreciated him. He made her smile, and his love for her kids earned him a special place in her life.

         “No, this is not from the Fuel for Warmth volunteers. This wood is from my farm. I want you to have it. Extra firewood is always good, especially when that is the only way you heat your house.”

         “Oh, Mark, thank you, that’s wonderful, and it's great to know we will have enough to last through the cold winter months.”

         “Mark”, said Mrs. Tierney, “do you have time to come inside for hot chocolate?”

         “Mommy, can Mark please come?” asked Mikey.

         “Mark, will you play dollhouse with me?” asked Maggie. “Santa gave me a dollhouse.”

         “Hot chocolate and a dollhouse. Wow! I’m coming, and I bought my train set too."

         Kelly laughed. Mark was just a big kid, a hard-working, responsible farm kid.

         Kelly pretended to look worried and said, “Sure, Mark can come inside, but we may have a problem. I don’t know if we have enough Christmas cookies for us all.

         “He can have mine,” said Mikey.

         “No, I want him to have mine,” said Maggie.

         Grandma chirped in. “I baked some more for you all.”

         Mikey, Maggie and Mark cheered. Kelly chuckled. She stopped. Did she just feel her heart jump? Was this moment beyond belief? Was it love?    

Maybe, just maybe, this was her “more,” her new beginning.